interslavic community

20. word formation, diminution

Latin and Greek words in Neoslavonic

Latin and Greek words are written in phonetical orthography but with correct Neoslavonic suffixes in correct cases. Latin and Greek masculine and neuter suffixes of the nominative are used in Neoslavonic as well, but are removed in other cases in the same way as in original Latin and Greek.

Diminutionof wordsisvery characteristic for all Slaviclanguages​​.By diminution we can express either smaller or younger species of something/somebody or our some kind of familiar relationship to something/somebody.

Neoslavonic supports the very basic common basis of this huge Slavic system. Please learn these only endings:

-ek, -iček = masculine diminution.

example:

slon = an elephantslonek = a little/young/familiar elephantsloniček = a very little/young/familiar elephant

-ka, -ička = feminine diminution.

example:

krava = a cowkravka = a little/young/familiar cowkravička = a very little/young/familiar cow

-ko, ičko = neuter diminution

example:

dete = a childdetko = a little/young/familiar childdetičko = a very little/young/familiar child